Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish has said that he was "proud" of the reception he received at Villa Park on his home debut.

The Scot replaced Gerard Houllier in June after joining from rivals Birmingham and was met with much disapproval as a result. However, the former Scotland boss insists that he wasn't surprised when he received a positive reception at Villa Park during his side's 3-1 win over Blackburn Rovers.

"I wasn't really [surprised by the reaction]," he said. "The recent kind of vibes I've been getting was that it was going to be something for me to really look forward to.

"People might have headlined it like I was worried, but I wasn't. I was really looking forward to it and it was a proud moment for myself and my family.

"It was great and the Villa fans were excellent."

Aston Villa are now on four points after earning a 0-0 draw at Craven Cottage last week.